Quaternary cationic surfactant materials are widely known for use in softening, cleaning and cosmetic compositions.
Many hair care compositions, especially conditioning products, contain long chain quaternary ammonium compounds. Compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,155,591, Hilfer, issued Nov. 3, 1964, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,824, Villamarin et al., issued May 26, 1981. Hair care compositions have also been disclosed which contain quaternary ammonium salts and silicone materials in U.K. patent application No. 2,066,659, Abe, published July 15, 1981, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Although widely used, all of the problems of making compositions containing such cationic surfactant materials have not been solved.
It has been found that frequently commercial supplies of certain quaternary cationic surfactant materials contain levels of a UV absorbing impurity which has a maximum absorption at from about 260 nm to about 280 nm; the amount of which impurity varies by lot of material. Surprisingly, this has been found to adversely impact the viscosity and stability of certain compositions made therewith. The impure materials vary in color from off-white to brown; they vary in physical condition from partially dry sticky powders to pasty solids. The variation in level also renders measurement less accurate.
Applicant has now discovered that compositions made with quaternary cationic surfactant materials purified by a process described herein, yield significantly improved viscosity properties to certain hair care compositions made therewith.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process for purifying quaternary cationic surfactant materials.
It is a further object of the invention to provide stable compositions with controlled viscosity containing quaternary cationic surfactant materials.
It is a further object of the invention to provide purified quaternary cationic surfactant materials for use in such compositions.
It is a further object to provide purified quaternary cationic surfactant materials in the form of free-flowing powders.
These and other objects will be made clear from the description herein.
All percentages and ratios herein are by weight unless otherwise noted.